The Labor enquirer., 1887-06-04
DRIFTING BACKWARD.
The American Republic 10 Failing IA
Fuiafi It's Promtss Of Liberty.
For the Enquirer.

For the Enquirer.
II is much more difficult to reason with
the people of this country than with those
OF any other nation. There is so much in
custom. Habits are stronger than ideas,
sometimes; and II has become habit
with American people to shout and vote
In the full belief of a glorious freedom on
Fourth of Julys and election days, and to
90 back to miserable home and drudg
cry through the intervening time, that any
other picture of existence seems like an
impossible dream.
The countrys brief past history com
pares we'll with the record of older nations,
dotted as they are with cruelties, wars,
and superstitions and tyrannies; but
across its pure page black streak edged
with blood appears. II ends in blood
and even yet the record is not clear
Through glowing words of nations
great resources, her wonderful enterprises,
her justice and freedom, her hospitality
TO the oppressed of all nations, there runs
dark line-a line telling OF suffering,
poverty, drudgery, imprisonment and in
justice.
However We may reason, we cannot hide
the bare fact that the poverty and hard
ships are out of all proportion to our real
wealth and pretended opportunities. We
need not compare with other nations-we
have but to compare realities with our
loud boastings. But the masses of people
will not do this. Accustomed to the
thought that we are the freestj people ON
earth, our rights aud liberties can be slyly
and gradually taken from US and we do
not notice it; we grow accustomed to the
slow drifting backward toward something
very much like slavery and never realize
II. In other countries they are on the
lookout for encroachments. They know
whattyranny means and they never cease
ing, n mere adage taught Us years ago,
and go to sleep.
Once it was u constitutional right, and
one the founders of our independence be-
lieyed should be exercised, for every citi
zen to bear arms. To-day the people, the
working men, dare not possess arms-on-
ly trained and obedient body of soldiers
may do so. Our boast has been that
thought and speech were free, To-day
men who have but pleaded for justice for
the poor and the oppressed, are under
sentence of death and many others are
suffering under arrests, fines and SEN
tcnces or imprisonment who are guilty of
nothing but expressing their opinions.
In few more days in Illinois it will be n
crime to breathe discomfort aloud. And
where once We have gloried in Offering II
refuge to the oppressed of all countries,
to-day we are Offering extradition treaties
10 the most despotic governments of the
world.
We gain in nothing but statute laws.
Laws are heaped upon us-the common
people at every session of the Legislature
hy the hundred, and the more we have of
them the less we have OF the real necessi-
ties Of life.
A few fanatics" and "cranks" see these
facts and speak of them increasingly. But
why do not the prophetic law abiding,
pcaccloving people-notice them, toos
Il Is wicked to even question whether af-
fairs are going as they should. We were
proud Of our freedom and our liberties:
Why not compare notes with the past now
aad then and see II We are gaining or
losiugs
Lizzie NJ. SwASK.